First Manga Appearance: Chapter 15First Anime Appearance: Episode 9Name Meaning: WhiteCharacter Study: Haku acts as the first big antagonist for Naruto and Sasuke. Both boys are pushed to their limits to fight Haku and learn something about how far they're willing to go for those they care for. Haku's actions and words continue to affect Naruto throughout the series, giving the young man a lasting influence.

Haku was a resident of the Water Country. As a child, he was raised in a snowy village with his mother and father. One day, he discovered that he had the ability to manipulate water, showing his mother his ability to do so by making a small sphere of it hover above his palms. However, his discovery led to nothing more than a harsh slap from his mother. Haku was unaware that he was the bearer of an advanced bloodline, a trait in humans that allows them naturally-given superhuman abilities Ė in his case, Water and Wind element manipulation to create a new Ice element. His mother, too, was the bearer of this. Civil war in the Water Country led to both sides seeking those of an advanced bloodline and the resulting escalation led to major collateral damage. As a result, they were blamed and persecuted, possibly explaining his familyís isolation.

However, Hakuís father had witnessed his son using the power and in a prejudiced rage, killed his wife and then came for Haku himself. Cornered in his own house by his father and a mob of armed men, Haku acted in self-defense, killing the mob and his own father. With nothing left, Haku trudged through the snow away from the house, which was now little more than a hut of blood and stalagmites of ice. Haku lived as a wandering beggar for a while until he ran into the fleeing renegade ninja, Momochi Zabuza. Instead of rejecting Haku for his cursed blood, Zabuza took him with him. Haku understood all along that he was only being used as a weapon, but the desire to feel needed and wanted overcame that. Haku was then taught ninja arts by Zabuza and became just as dangerous as him, despite his age.

Haku first appeared in the story while masquerading as a Hunter-Ninja, one of those sent by the Hidden Mist village to kill and erase Zabuzaís body. He seemed to kill Zabuza, but merely paralyzed him. However, the first inconsistency occurred when he transported Zabuza away for dismantling, despite hunters usually taking apart the corpse on the spot. Once he had saved Zabuza from Kakashiís Sharingan, he helped Zabuza recover at the headquarters of Gato, Zabuzaís temporary employer. Gato had hired Zabuza to kill a bridge architect that threatened the greedy businessmanís stranglehold on the poverty-stricken Wave Country through his extortionate shipping costs.

While Zabuza lay recovering, Gato appeared and mocked his lack of progress. Haku broke his intruding forearm as punishment. As Gatoís bodyguards moved in to retaliate, Haku drew their swords from their own sheaths in a flash and subdued them both by pressing their own swords up against their necks. All Gato could do in retaliation was to fire them if they failed again. Hakuís next movement was to gather herbs in the nearby forest, traveling in civilian clothing and with his long hair down.

While there, he found a sleeping Naruto who had been training. His first instinct was to choke Naruto, but instead, woke him up. Naruto mistook Haku for a girl initially, helping him gather herbs with a blush. The two talked for a while as Haku recalled his past, searching through trash to eat but giving up his findings to a mother dog and her pups. Naruto mentioned that he was in the forest to train and become stronger, which prompted Haku to tell him that a person is at their strongest when protecting a special person. As he left, he also corrected Naruto about his gender, shocking Naruto to a great degree.

During Zabuzaís second attack on Tazuna, Sasuke eliminated Zabuzaís water clones. Zabuza was amused and announced Sasuke to be a rival for Haku. The two locked horns, with Sasuke initially matching Hakuís speed and escaping his fierce ice-based attacks. Haku apologized, and then began to form a dome of flat ice panels around him: Demonic Ice Mirrors, Hakuís strongest technique. Walking into the back of a panel, he appeared inside all of them and proceeded to rip Sasuke up with blindingly fast needle attacks. Naruto managed to temporarily halt the assault, but only ended up foolishly putting himself in danger alongside Sasuke. The two slowly made progress, but Haku was forced to put Sasuke down, seeing him as the biggest danger.

When Naruto saw Sasuke seemingly dead, his rage grew to unspeakable size and the Kyuubi inside him manifested in a spiral of orange-red chakra, changing Narutoís appearance to a more beastlike visage. Deflecting Hakuís needles with chakra and destroying his mirrors, Narutoís terrible anger was channeled into a single punch, sending Haku through his own mirrors and dispelling the jutsu, as well as shattering his mask and showing his true face to Naruto. Narutoís monstrous rage subsided, but he was still confused and angry. Haku explained that he was Zabuzaís tool and now no longer had a purpose for living following his failure, explaining his bloody past and rejection to Naruto. Naruto understood his loneliness, but Haku went on to request Naruto to kill him.

However, it was a trick. Haku deflected the attack and quickly disappeared into a puddle. As Kakashi charged to kill Zabuza, Haku appeared from a single Demonic Ice Mirror in front of him and Kakashiís arm tore through his body. Haku held onto Kakashiís penetrating arm as long as he could before he died, allowing Zabuza a final fatal cut at Kakashi, but Kakashi jumped back and took Haku with him, now a limp and lifeless corpse. Soon after, Gato showed up and announced his plan to kill Zabuza once Tazuna was dead, then began to mock and assault Hakuís corpse. After some words of encouragement from Naruto, Zabuza killed Gato in revenge, sustaining fatal injuries. Haku and Zabuza were buried alongside each other on a cliff top as companions.

Haku is a popular character to many, mostly for his pretty looks and gentle temperament. His relationship with Zabuza is very ambiguous among fans, with one side arguing that the two were lovers, the opposition stating they were a surrogate father and son. Regardless, his utter devotion to Zabuza was, in one form or another, a kind of love. Haku still shows up in Narutoís mind, with his words about protecting people he holds precious becoming a part of his personality forever.

Haku Timeline

BSS: Before Series StartASS: After Series Start(All dates approximate - There is no official comprehensive timeline)